>> former soviet union. over three years. former soviet union, united states and france. >> over how many years? >> a flee-year project. >> you finished the book when? >> beginning of this year. i finished the book just around september 11. >> of 2001? >> 2001. >> ok. i want to get some of this personal stuff out. time goes by so fast. you learn in here that yitzhak rabin who was the chief of staff of the army had a nervous breakdown? >> he did. physical and nervous breakdown. >> did he ever admit this? >> eventually he did. >> when? >> a week into the crisis. a week after egyptian forces enter sinai and a week after the egyptians evicted unef. >> before june 5. >> well before. two weeks before. >> you also learn that moshe dayan had a breakdown in the 1973 war. did he admit that? >> he had it publicly. it was difficult not to. >> what does it look like for both of these gentlemen? >> rabin it happened behind the scenes. he disappeared for 36 hours. dayan was interviewed on tv and was semicomatose in 1973. it was quite appare